At any point in a race is there a point where all 4 hooves are off the ground?

[Zippy Chippy]

My dad just called me from a bar in Florida asking me this random question. I would think yes but he said most people say definitely not.

Any responses would be appreciated ill be emailing him this link.

He also asked how many of their legs (hooves) would normally be touching the ground during the race.

[cj]

Absolutely, positively yes.

[redshift1]

Trotters and Pacers as well....

[nearco]

My dad just called me from a bar in Florida asking me this random question. I would think yes but he said most people say definitely not.

Any responses would be appreciated ill be emailing him this link.

He also asked how many of their legs (hooves) would normally be touching the ground during the race.

Yes.
There is a very famous experiment done in the late 1800s by Eadweard Muybridge to prove that the footfalls of the horse included a moment when all four legs were off the ground. That experiment involved taking a rapid succesion of pictures and stringing them together in a reel.... this would go on to become the moving picture, i.e movie.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYKZif9ooxs&feature=related

FYI, the footfalls of the gallop are, 1) outside hind leg hits ground 2) inside hind and outside fore simulataneoulsy hit ground 3) inside for on ground 4) all four legs off the ground.
So basically three beats with a period of suspension Da-Da-Da -- Da-Da-Da --

[Zippy Chippy]

Yes.
There is a very famous experiment done in the late 1800s by Eadweard Muybridge to prove that the footfalls of the horse included a moment when all four legs were off the ground. That experiment involved taking a rapid succesion of pictures and stringing them together in a reel.... this would go on to become the moving picture, i.e movie.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYKZif9ooxs&feature=related

FYI, the footfalls of the gallop are, 1) outside hind leg hits ground 2) inside hind and outside fore simulataneoulsy hit ground 3) inside for on ground 4) all four legs off the ground.
So basically three beats with a period of suspension Da-Da-Da -- Da-Da-Da --

Great video, thanks. That should end any debate

[InTheRiver68]

So basically three beats with a period of suspension Da-Da-Da -- Da-Da-Da --
The gallop has four beats in between suspensions, as each hoof hits the ground independent of the others. The canter has three beats, because the non-lead forehoof and the lead-side rear hoof touch down simultaneously. In the gallop, they're independent.

Animal locomotion (http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/Movement/locoindex.html)

I only rode as a hobby, and only for a short period, but I always loved to canter. It got you where you were going and was very relaxing, and part of the appeal was the three-beat sound of it.

-InTheRiver68

edit: Back to topic, all four hooves are off the ground at once in a canter, too.

[cj]

http://atssportsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/rachel-alexandra.jpg

[5k-claim]

My dad just called me from a bar in Florida asking me this random question. I would think yes but he said most people say definitely not.

Any responses would be appreciated ill be emailing him this link.

He also asked how many of their legs (hooves) would normally be touching the ground during the race.Hello Zippy Chippy's dad.

Go to this link (http://www.patlangphoto.com/Sept2011/) and browse through the photos here. There are many really nice ones.

When you win a race and get the "action" shot to go along with the winner's circle photo, the action shot is very often 'flying through the air'. The photographers know that is what everyone wants for their souvenir collection and they will sell... :)

[thespaah]

Yes. A horses gallop is actually a series of jumps. At one point during the gallop stride the horse is in the "jump phase"..You've been supplied with the video/pics.
Great question though.
BTW at one point during each gallop stride all the horses weight is on one foreleg. The sesamoid or fetlock joint is under tremendous pressure.
For example, At full speed, horses land on one leg at a time and exert over 5000 pounds per square inch of force.
Link.....http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/8408

[bigmack]

Yes.
There is a very famous experiment done in the late 1800s by Eadweard Muybridge to prove that the footfalls of the horse included a moment when all four legs were off the ground. That experiment involved taking a rapid succesion of pictures and stringing them together in a reel.... this would go on to become the moving picture, i.e movie.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYKZif9ooxs&feature=related
That video looks familiar.
________________

Fractious epitomized with 4 WAY off the ground.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u70/macktime/SaddleShy.jpg

[JustRalph]

http://atssportsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/rachel-alexandra.jpg

Great pic ........

[ArlJim78]

the horses I bet today had no more than one hoof off the ground at a time.

[Hanover1]

There had better be

[Cardus]

Incredible.

[menifee]

See also CJ's avatar.

[thaskalos]

http://railrunner.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/zenyatta.jpg

[Robert Fischer]

http://railrunner.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/zenyatta.jpg

is that Zen trying to out-do CJ's Rachel ?? ;)

maybe they should've been wearing the AIR CURLIN'S
http://tuesdayshorse.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/curlinakderby.jpg

[cj]

See also CJ's avatar.

That is funny, I didn't even notice. That is Groovy by the way for those wondering.

[Grits]

ZC, click here:

http://www.google.com/search?q=adam+coglianese+photos&hl=en&biw=1064&bih=668&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MbyRTs2JKMzF0AH0381U&ved=0CB0QsAQ

Adam Coglianese, NYRA's photographer, and Barbara Livingston, DRF's photographer, take thousands of these shots a year. To answer your question, these two may give you the the best look at a horse's motion. They do this each day with a camera speed set faster than you or I can count.

[keithw84]

Yes.
There is a very famous experiment done in the late 1800s by Eadweard Muybridge to prove that the footfalls of the horse included a moment when all four legs were off the ground. That experiment involved taking a rapid succesion of pictures and stringing them together in a reel.... this would go on to become the moving picture, i.e movie.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYKZif9ooxs&feature=related

FYI, the footfalls of the gallop are, 1) outside hind leg hits ground 2) inside hind and outside fore simulataneoulsy hit ground 3) inside for on ground 4) all four legs off the ground.
So basically three beats with a period of suspension Da-Da-Da -- Da-Da-Da --

It's interesting to think that for the thousands of years humans have used horses, it is relatively recent that we figured out how they run. Consider the old paintings where the horses have all four hooves off the ground and they are all extended.